Mark the text with a pencil, pen, or, even better, colored fine-tipped pens – Remember, you are not just highlighting, you are writing.
Circle new and unfamiliar words – Check the text for context and draw lines to connect with the unknown word. Look them up for further clarification.
Define words or slang; make the words real with examples from your experiences; explore why the author would have used a particular word or phrase.
Draw arrows to related ideas – Or unrelated ideas…
Draw a picture when a visual connection is appropriate.
Underline the topic sentence in a passage – Remember, each paragraph has one topic sentence. The rest is supporting information and examples. Identify the topic sentence to find it easier.
Make meaningful connections .......to your own life experiences. Describe a new perspective you may now have. .......to other parts of the book. Feel free to use direct quotes from the book. .......to other texts you have read or seen, including:
Movies
Comic books/graphic novels
News events
Other books, stories, plays, songs, or poems
Add structure to a narrative text – Use 1, 2, 3, 4…or an outline format I. A. B. C. 1, 2, 3, a, b, c…to add a structure that you understand.
Use codes – Flag text with codes such as xxxx to indicate disagreement, !!!!!!! to note agreement or to mark a strong statement, ????? to indicate a question, SSSSS to indicate a change in thinking, a heart for something you really like a check mark for something you need to check out or a * for the topic sentence. Make up your own codes.
Know your preferences – Some of you may not like marking directly in the text. If so, grab some sticky notes and do your marking and writing on them. This way you can move and reorganize later if you want. Others like to mark directly on the page.
Re-write, paraphrase, or summarize a particularly difficult passage or moment.
Explain the historical context or traditions/social customs that are used in the passage.
Write an analysis or interpretation of what is happening in the text.
Point out and discuss literary techniques that the author is using. After the reading, complete at least two of the following statements: · This is about… · The thing I really liked about this is … · The thing that puzzled me the most about this is… · This reminds me of…
After the reading, complete at least two of the following statements: · This poem is about… · The thing I really liked about this poem is … · The thing that puzzled me the most about this poem is… · This poem reminds me of…
Annotation What to Do.
Mark the text with a pencil, pen, or, even better, colored fine-tipped pens – Remember, you are not just highlighting, you are writing.
Circle new and unfamiliar words – Check the text for context and draw lines to connect with the unknown word. Look them up for further clarification.
Define words or slang; make the words real with examples from your experiences; explore why the author would have used a particular word or phrase.
Draw arrows to related ideas – Or unrelated ideas…
Draw a picture when a visual connection is appropriate.
Underline the topic sentence in a passage – Remember, each paragraph has one topic sentence. The rest is supporting information and examples. Identify the topic sentence to find it easier.
Make meaningful connections
.......to your own life experiences. Describe a new perspective you may now have.
.......to other parts of the book. Feel free to use direct quotes from the book.
.......to other texts you have read or seen, including:
Add structure to a narrative text – Use 1, 2, 3, 4…or an outline format I. A. B. C. 1, 2, 3, a, b, c…to add a structure that you understand.
Use codes – Flag text with codes such as xxxx to indicate disagreement, !!!!!!! to note agreement or to mark a strong statement, ????? to indicate a question, SSSSS to indicate a change in thinking, a heart for something you really like a check mark for something you need to check out or a * for the topic sentence. Make up your own codes.
Know your preferences – Some of you may not like marking directly in the text. If so, grab some sticky notes and do your marking and writing on them. This way you can move and reorganize later if you want. Others like to mark directly on the page.
Re-write, paraphrase, or summarize a particularly difficult passage or moment.
Explain the historical context or traditions/social customs that are used in the passage.
Write an analysis or interpretation of what is happening in the text.
Point out and discuss literary techniques that the author is using.
After the reading, complete at least two of the following statements:
· This is about…
· The thing I really liked about this is …
· The thing that puzzled me the most about this is…
· This reminds me of…
After the reading, complete at least two of the following statements:
· This poem is about…
· The thing I really liked about this poem is …
· The thing that puzzled me the most about this poem is…
· This poem reminds me of…